Record
of the Formation and Services of the 79th OR Cameron Highlanders

Alan Cameron, whose "Badench"
name was Brrodi, was son of Ewen Cameron and Margery, sister of MacLean
of Drimnin, who resided at Erroch, near Fort William, North Britain, a
most powerful man, standing six feet eight inches in height, and being
muscular in proportion, nearly as tall as the celebrated Sam Macdonald
of the 93rd (formerly one of the porters at Carlton House, who stood
seven feet four inches, without his stickings). Young Cameron resided at
home until his 19th year, when, happening to quarrel at a public ball,
with a namesake of his own clan (whose Badenoch name was Morsheilich),
the result was a challenge to Morsheilich, and a dual with broadswords,
according to Morsheilich's choice, next morning. Several of the latter's
followers were placed in ambush round the scene of combat, in order to
prevent Brrodi's escape, should he prove the victor in this unequal
contest, Morsheilich being a scientific swordsman, while his adversary
was young and untaught. His "Guards", however, availed nothing
against the strength of Brrodi's arm, who, with one blow, split his head
in two, on which Morsheilich's men rushed from their ambush, and
proclaiming the duel an unfair one, endeavoured to seize on Brrodi,
whose activity enabled him to escape from them. They succeeded,
nevertheless, in rousing the feelings of the men of Lachaber against the
alleged murderer to such an extent, that he was obliged to fly at once,
for his life, to the house of his cousin Dr. Alsander MacLean, of
Pennycross, in the Isle of Mull, where he lay for two days concealed
from a party of armed men from Fort William and Lachaber, who had
tracked him with bloodhounds. At night he lay hid in a cave, near
Pennycross House, so peculiarly situated that no stranger could discover
its existence, but his pursuers knowing that he was in the neighbourhood,
and ultimate discovery being inevitable, he fled to a cavern six miles
distant, on the south-west of the island, where provisions were conveyed
to him by stealth, by Dr. MacLean's youthful son Archibald. The door of
this cavern, these two caves are known to the present day as
"Cameron's caves", (which is named Inni Moir) was so
constructed that one able swordsman could defend it against many
intruders, while high rocks and the sea rendered the approach to it all
but impossible. In this seclusion Alan remained for Six weeks, without
light, except when he ventured to the mouth of the cavern; and his
enemies having then abandoned the pursuit in despair, he left his prison
and sailed for America, where he joined the 71st Highlanders as a
volunteer, and behaved with such bravery that he was rewarded with a
commission, and subsequently obtained the local rank of Major in
America. Having been wounded and taken prisoner, he remained in
confinement until the end of the war, when he was released, and, landing
in England, proceeded to London, where he obtained from King George the
Third a letter of service, dated Augt 17th 1793, empowering him to raise
a Regiment of Highlanders, and conferring on him the rank of Major
Commandant from that date.

Major Cameron then proceeded to Scotland,
accompanied by twelve of his chosen friends, Officers of rank, and
guarded by a body of faithful servants, the whole party being fully
armed, and having arrived at Kilfinichin Argyleshire, the residence of
Col MacLean, of Kinlochallen (son of MacLean of Drimnin) he made
inquiries as to the state of feeling in Fort William and, when, learning
that the ill-will which had formerly existed against him had now
altogether subsided, he entered Fort William, preceded by his piper,
playing the slogan of the clans, The "Camerons Gathering", and
attended by his friends and followers, fully armed, however, in order to
guard against treachery on the part of Morsheilich's surviving
relatives. Finding that the inhabitants of Fort William and Lachaber
were now friendly towards him, he declared his intention of raising a
Highland Regiment, and having selected his Officers, Sergeants, and
Corporals from his own namesakes and clansmen, he soon enlisted so many
men the the Corps was completed to its full establishment within the
prescribed period, although all the expense was obliged to be borne by
the Officers, Government refusing to allow any bounty-money whatever.

The
Regiment, having been inspected at Sterling in February 1794, was styled
the "Seventy-ninth", or "Cameron Highlanders", and
Major Cameron was promoted to the rank of Lieut Col his commission
bearing date January 30th 1794; encouraged by which, he continued his
efforts at recruiting the Corps, which soon numbered 1,000 bayonets.

The
first active service seen by the 79th was in Flanders (also the scene of
their last campaign) for which place the Regt embarked in 1794, and
remained there about a year, having landed at Portsmouth Saturday, May
9th 1795 in transports conveying the following Infantry Regiments -
12th, 27th, 28th, 40th, 54th, 57th, 59th, 79th, 80th, 85th, and Loyal
Emigrants, the whole number under the convoy of H.M.S. Leda, 36, Captain
Woodley. In the summer of this year the Regiment was inspected by H.R.H.
the Duke of York, then Commander in Chief, in the Isle of Wight, who,
thinking it unwise to retain together the men of a Regiment that had
been so hastily enroled, informed Lieut Col Cameron that the 79th should
be at once drafted into other Regiments; on which Lieut Col Cameron
replied - "Your Royal Highness's father does not possess the power
of doing that", and produced the letter of service in which an
immunity from being drafted was specially granted to the 79th Regt. This
incensed the Duke so much that an order appeared requiring the Cameron
Highlanders to embark for the West Indies forthwith, and the Regiment
landed in November 1795 at Martinique where it continued to serve until
July 1797, when an order arrived out, recalling the Officers and Non
Commissioned Officers to Scotland, for the purpose of recruiting for
another battalion, and allowing such men as preferred remaining abroad
to volunteer into Regiments serving in the West Indies.

The
men who wished to return home (210 in number) were to join the 42nd
Highlanders, then under Orders for England, where the transports arrived
July 30th 1795, and landed the troops at Portsmouth in such excellent
health that out of 500 men of the 42nd and 79th Regiments, not a single
man was reported sick; a circumstance so unprecedented, that it was at
first supposed that the list of the sick had been omitted by mistake
when the ships papers were transmitted for inspection.

The
remainder of the Fleet arrived shortly after and Colonel Cameron and his
Officers were ordered to Scotland for the purpose of recruiting, as
before stated. On this occasion no rank was conferred on the Officers to
reward them for their success in recruiting, notwithstanding which the
Regt was completed to 780 Rank and File in the following year, at
Inverness; and although several of the recruits were English and Irish,
they soon became identified in feelings as in costume with their Gaelic
brethern. The 79th embarked for the Helder in Augt 1779 and in the
action which occurred Octr 2nd highly distinguished themselves; an
observation which applies to every action in which the Cameron
Highlanders have been engaged.

The
Army having re-embarked by Octr 25th and the 79th remained at home until
Augt 21st 1800, when it embarked under Sir Jas Pulteney, in the
expedition for Ferrol in Galicia, and landed in Dominos Bay on the 25th
of that month; re-embarked next evening, and joined the army off
Gibraltar, Septr 19th; sailed again Octr 3rd and arrived at Vigo Bay,
Octr 5th; proceeded thence to Cadiz for the purpose of taking possession
of City, and of the fleet in the harbour of Caraccas, when a gun from
Cadiz announced a flag of truce, the object of which was to prevent any
attack on a City whose inhabitants were already afflicted by a
pestilence that had already killed thousands, and that seemed likely to
destroy the entire population. Under such melancholy circumstances, the
Commanders, Sir James Pulteney, Sir Ralph Abercromy, and Sir Edward
Pellew, humanely ordered the re-embarkation of the troops, 2,500 of whom
were at the time on board the gun boats.

The
fleet sailed for the Bay of Tetuan, on the coast of Barbary Octr 7; but
after having been there a few days, a dreadful storm arose, which
compelled the Fleet to weigh anchor, and make for shelter under the lee
of Cape Spartell, with the greatest precipitation. As soon as the
weather became more calm, the Fleet returned to Gibralter, and on Octr
29th Sir Jas Pultneey sailed for Portugal with those Regiments whose
services were restricted to service in Europe, while Sir R. Abercromy,
with the remaining Regts (of which the 79th was one) sailed for Malta,
that island having surrendered to Genl Pigot and Sir Thos Graham of
Balgowan (afterwards Lord Lynedock) Septr 5th same year. From Malta the
Fleet sailed Decr 20th and 21st in two divisions, for the Bay of
Marmorice, where the first division arrived Decr 28th 1800, and the
second division Jany 1st 1801. Here they remained until February 23rd
when they sailed for Egypt in sight of which they arrived Sunday, March
1st 1801. The particulars of the Egyptian campaign are known to nearly
all our readers, and I shall therefore content myself by saying that the
79th remained in Egypt until the end of Augt and sailed for Minorca,
where it continued until the island as surrendered at the peace of
Amiens in March 1802 on which the Regt was sent to Gibraltar, and
subsequently returned to Scotland, where it received in 1804 the
addition of a 2nd Battn, which was embodied and passed 25th March 1805.

The
1st Batt embarked for Portulgal in Augt 1808, and served with Sir John
Moore's Army until January 1809 on the 19th of which month they embarked
for England and landed either at Plymouth or Portsmouth. They embarked
July 28th 1809 for Zealand, under the Earl of Chatham, in the
unfortunate Walcheren Expedition, from which they returned after the
evacuation of the place Decr 23rd and suffered so little that they were
reported fit for service soon after, and sailed for Spain, Septr 20th
1810 along with the following Infantry Regts:- 7th, 8th, 50th, 71st,
92nd, 94th, 95th and a corps of Brunswicjers. On the termination of the
Peninsular War in March, 1814, the 79th embarked at Bordeaux for England
and passed over to Ireland, where they remained until April 29th 1815,
when they marched from Belfast to Cork, in two divisions and embarked at
the latter place for Flanders; joined the Army at Bruxelles and formed
part of the 8th Infantry Brigade (under Sir James Kempt) consisting of
the 1st Batt 28th 1st Batt 52nd 1st Batt 79th and 1st batt 95th (Rifle
Brigade); remained in France with the Army of Occupation and landed at
Dover, Friday, Octr 30th 1818; marched through East Grinsted and Horsham
for Winchester, early in November; subsequently crossed over to Ireland
and landed at Cork, whence it proceeded to Fermoy, and after a short
stay at that place, arrived Monday, June 15th 1820 at Limerick, where it
served during all the disturbances connected with "Whiteboy"
outrages during 1820, 21, and 22; moved to Temlemore in 1822 and to Naas,
and subsequently to Dublin in 1823; remained in Dublin until July, 1824,
on the 26th of which month the first division marched for Kilkeney where
Hd Qrs arrived saturday, Augt 7th relieving the 78th Highlanders, who
had been quartered in that city since January 1822; received Orders to
relieve 37th Regt at Quebec and marched from Kilkenny Thursday, July
28th 1825 (Hd Qrs division) for the cove of Cork, where the first
division embarked Augt 25th in "Cato" transport (Lieut Corley
R.N.) and the second division Augt 26th in H.M.S. "Romney"
Capt N. Lacker C.B.; sailed for Quebec Thuirsday Septr 1st 1825 and
remained in Canada until Septr 6th 1836 when the Regt having been
relieved by 2nd Batt R1 Regt from Cork embarked in the
"Maitland" transport Lieut C. H. Binstead R.N. and arrived
Thursday, Septr 29th at Portsmouth whence the "Maitland"
sailed for Leith Tuesday October 4th. Connected with this transport I
beg to make the following remarks: the vessel was 648 tons and after
being found unable to convey all the service companies of the 2nd Batt
of the Royals sailed for Quebec with 20 Officers, 17 Officer's wives and
children 476, Rank and file, 102 women and children, ships crew 42.
Total 657, all crowded together in an old transport of 648 tons; The Men
of the Royals has not standing room on the deck, but were packed as in a
slave ship and during the passage there were 156 men on always deck
night and day, and six men in a berth (six feet by six) in addition to
30 Hammocks being slung on the upper deck. Notwithstanding all this
crowding, the end for which the vessel was chartered was not
accomplished for on sailing for Cork she was obliged to leave behind a
Detachment of Three Officers and 44 men whom it was originally intended
that she should have taken to Canada, in addition to the 657 persons
above enumerated. If a private vessel or a passenger vessel, she would
be entitled to carry 389 adult passengers and no more:- while as a
transport 657 human being were crowded together in a vessel in which was
neither comfort nor accommodation for Officers or men. Even in the cabin
there was not room for a carpet bag, and the Trunks were obliged to
remain on the poop, wet or dry, and the cuddy was so limited in its
proportions that Lieut Binstead very kindly gave up the use of his cabin
daily to nine Officers and Ladies who had not room to sit or stand in
the cuddy at meal-time. In addition to this the vessel was literally
alive with bugs and the children had for weeks after landing at Qubec
all the appearance of smallpox having been nearly devoured by those
noxious vermin. Nor was this all; for there being no room on board the
"Maitland" for Officer's baggage, they were obliged at a
considerable personal expense to freight a ship at Cork to convey all
the baggage exceeding the quantity allowed by H.M.'s regulations. When
this wretched vessel came to anchor at Quebec, Col Wetherall made a
formal complaint (which was hushed up) and the authorities seeing the
men nearly suffocated, ordered immediate disembarkment of the Regiment
which marched to the Citidal, where the men, having room to lie down,
were in comparative luxury, although stretched for two nights on iron
bed steads without a bundle of straw;

We
copy the following passage connected with the Cameron Highlanders from
the Quebec "Mercury" of Septr 1st 1836...

"This
gallant corps will embark for England on Saturday Septr 3rd should the
weather prove fair; and we learn that Sir John Colbone has determined to
take upon himself chartering of another vessel to convey a portion of
the Regt in order that the health and lives of these gallant fellows
many not be endangered by being stowed in less space than (from motives
of prudence not of humanity) a slave dealer would allot to his living
cargo; Under the blessings of Heaven, the Royals landed here in health
but at this season of the year, with the probability of encountering the
equinoctial gales when approaching the coast of England, it would been
little less than tempting Providence to have repeated an experiment
which we hope that the voice of the British nation will compel the
heartless projectors, though deaf to the call of humanity to immediately
abandon, and which we hope, has been adopted with the sanction or
knowledge of H.M.'s Government". It pleased the Lord to show mercy
to those on board the "Maitland" on her homeward bound voyage,
and after a quick passage of 23 days the Cameron Highlanders arrived at
Portsmouth, where however they did not land, but sailed, as above
stated, Octr 4th for Leith, when they disembarked, and marched thence to
Glasgow to join the Depot which had lately arrived there from Paisley;
moved to Edinburgh June, 1837, exchanging quarters with 42nd
Highlanders; marched again for Glasgow, May 1838, preparatory to their
removal to Dublin where 1st Division Saturday may 26th, second division,
Sunday, June 3rd and the 3rd division Sunday June 10th; the Regt having
been conveyed by the "Jupiter" steamer.

This
favoured corps remained in Dublin until Wednesday may 1st 1839, when the
left wing (5 Cos) embarked at the North Wall for Liverpool, and was
followed next day by the remainder of the Regiment of which eight
companies proceeded to Manchester, detaching two companies to Haliofax,
moved in May 1840 to Haydock Lodge, from which station the first
division proceeded to Deptford Tuesday, Novr 10th and embarked along
with the service companies of 1st Batt Rifle Brigade, on board
"Abercrombie Robinson" transport, Lieut How, Master, and
sailed for Gibralter, Novr 12th, but the vessel having sprung her
bowsprit, was obliged to put into Plymouth Sound Decr 10, and sailed on
the 10th of that month for Gibraltar, where this division landed January
2nd 1841. The remainder of the service Cos moved from Haydock Lodge to
Weedon about Novr 10th 1840 and proceeded thence by railroad to London,
Decr 30th; marched from Euston Square over Waterloo Bridge, to Deptford,
and embarked next day on board "Prince Regent" and
"Bayne", transports, and sailed for Gibralter, being towed
down the river by stram-tugs.

Having
now given an impartial account of the services of this highly favoured
Regiment it only remains for me to state it has been always as
remarkable for its excellent conduct in quarters, and for its admirable
discipline, as for its unsurpassed bravery whenever it happened to meet
with Old England's enemies; and having known the Regt for twenty three
years, I am warranting in stating that there are few finer corps in the
British Army; and as a proof of which I may remark that, when the 42nd
and 79th were brigaded together in Dublin in the summer of 1838, the
42nd looked like children of the 79th which might truly be called a
"Giant Corps", the whole Regt being more than the average
height of Grenadier Companies. It is also worthy of remark that this
Regiment has been ever alive to the benefits arising from the
cultivation of the mind; proof which it is well known that the 79th
possesses the best library of any Regiment in our service, or at least
did so six years since. Another pleasing fact connected with this Corps
is that no Officer has been tried by Court Martial for nearly 40 years.

Before
concluding, I wish to allude to a discrepancy in dates which I am at
present unable to account for. The late Genl Stewar, of Garth, in his
account of the return of the 42nd from Martinique in 1797 states that
the 42nd reinforced by a draft of 210 men from the 79th landed at
Portsmouth, July 30th 1797 (vol. 1st p. 430) in this account of the same
occurrences under the head of 79th Regiment (vol 2nd p. 248) he states
that it took place Augt 31st 1797, Poor "Garth" has long since
fed the land-crabs in the West Indies, so that I cannot appeal to him
for the correction of this apparent mistake in chronology; but if any
one of your readers will set me right as to any errors in this my
narrative of the Cameron Highlanders, I shall feel most grateful, as my
history of the Regiment is necessarily defective in many minute
particulars, but will I hope be found to be generally accurate.

I
am sir yours Truly

G. L. S.

28th
Albermerle Street
Augt 2nd 1847

Below is a scanned
copy of the final page of the handwritten original document from which
this account was taken.

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